Category: Monthly Review Press Blog

“Globalization” = another word for financial colonialism: John Smith via Truthout

February 20, 2024

Recently, John Smith, author of Imperialism in the Twenty-First Century: Globalization, Super-Exploitation, and Capitalism’s Final Crisis, was asked by Mark Karlin of Truthout / Buzzflash to describe the new, improved state-of-the-art version of imperialism. Same old neocolonialism, updated?
“Mark Karlin: Why did you begin your book with the collapse of Rana Plaza in 2013, which killed more than one thousand exploited garment workers in Bangladesh?
John Smith: Three reasons…

New! Harbors Rich in Ships: The Selected Revolutionary Writings of Miroslav Krleža

February 20, 2024

Miroslav Krleža was a giant of Yugoslav literature, yet remarkably little of his writing has appeared in English. Harbors Rich in Ships gives English-speaking readers an unprecedented opportunity to appreciate the astonishing breadth of Krleža’s literary creations. Beautifully translated by Željko Cipriš, this collection of seven representative early texts introduces a new audience to three stories from Krleža’s renowned antimilitarist book, Croatian God Mars; an autobiographical sketch; a one-act play; a story from his collection of short stories, Thousand and One Deaths; and his signature drama, The Glembays, a satirical account of the crime-ridden origins of one of Zagreb’s most aristocratic families. This collection will help readers of all interests and ages see just why Krleža is considered among the best of the literary moderns.

Recording History Before It Disappears: Union Power reviewed by Portside

February 20, 2024

So much of a sense of union history is in danger of disappearance with the downward slide of organized labor, we need a refresher—not just a big sweep but the saga in a microcosm. Union Power supplies a lucid case study in the key developments from the 1930s breakthrough of industrial unionism through the grim counterattack by capitalism to the struggle for survival. Whoever is old enough to remember the many campus peace events of the later 1960s with only one speaker from organized labor on hand—that is, from the United Electrical Workers—will have an insight already. ¶ Author James Young, longtime activist, academic historian and now retiree still on the (radical) job, is well suited for the task, and so is the location, Erie, PA.

Gerald Horne on Trump’s bombing Syria, via The Real News Network

February 20, 2024

PAUL JAY: So, what do you make of this moment? Trump is under attack for being pro-Russian, and just a few days ago he talks about over-throwing Assad is not the target. Which must have royally — excuse the language — pissed off a whole lot of the American foreign policy establishment.
GERALD HORNE: Well, I think you put your finger on a major issue, that this attack on Syria can be easily interpreted as a kind of wag the dog strategy by Mr. Trump. That is to say, the bloodhounds were on his trail, as a result of his pre-November 2016 contacts with Moscow.

James Young’s Union Power returns to its union roots: Erie PA

February 20, 2024

Book Launch for Union Power: The United Electrical Workers in Erie, Pennsylvania
Barnes & Noble
Friday March 24, 2017 6:00 PM
5909 Peach St., Erie, PA 16509
814-864-6300
Author James Young will discuss his book Union Power—the history of two Erie labor unions that helped to save us from ourselves and gain decent living standards for area working people. Copies of the book will be available at the signing.

Fred Magdoff on Creating an Ecological Society: Sunday, April 30, Brookyn, NY

February 20, 2024

6:00-8:00pm April 30 at the Brooklyn Commons
388 Atlantic Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11217
Presented by the Marxist Education Project (MEP)
Sickened by the contamination of their water, their air, of the Earth itself, more and more people are coming to realize that it is capitalism that is, quite literally, killing them. It is now clearer than ever that capitalism is also degrading the Earth’s ability to support other forms of life. Come hear Fred Magdoff, author (with Chris Williams) of the upcoming Creating an Ecological Society: Toward a Revolutionary Transformation, talk about his book and how it really might be possible to to envision and create a society that is genuinely democratic, equitable, and ecologically sustainable.

“A rewarding mix”: Educational Justice reviewed by RankandFile.ca

February 20, 2024

The appointment of Betty DeVos as U.S. Secretary of Education aroused considerable opposition. Many of those challenging her were acting on the subtitle of Howard Ryan’s book, ‘organizing against the corporate juggernaut.’ ¶ Educational Justice is a rewarding mix of political analysis about the corporate forces pushing U.S. education in one direction and examples of grassroots union and classroom organizing as a way of challenging that direction. ¶ Ryan places the corporate program in the neoliberal context of what he calls a ‘bosses revolt.’ It includes transferring public funding for education to private education, limits on the union rights of teachers, control through testing and a dual expectations of schools—high quality education for the children of the well off and training for obedience for those on the bottom.

April 5, Greece: Helena Sheehan Returns The Syriza Wave to Its Source

February 20, 2024

Come to the Athens Book Launch of The Syriza Wave: Surging and Crashing with the Greek Left
Wednesday, April 5, 7:30-9pm
University of Athens
School of Education
Navarinou 13A, Lecture room AA
Athens, Greece 10680
Author Helena Sheehan will discuss her book, along with event coordinator Kostas Skordoulis, and speakers Michalis Spourdalakis, Costas Isychos, Stathis Kouvelakis, and Aris Chatzistefanou

Jeb Sprague on The Real News Network: “Were Haitian Police Behind Assassination Attempt on Aristide?”

February 20, 2024

Jeb Sprague, author of Paramilitarism and the Assault on Democracy in Haiti is interviewed by Kim Brown of The Real News Network about Haiti, based on his earlier research on paramilitarism in the context of economic restructuring, social conflict, and political tensions in the country.
(In two parts; be sure and stay tuned for the 2nd half.)

March 30 thru April 1: Get 40% OFF 16 MONTHLY REVIEW PRESS BOOKS by or about WOMEN!!!

February 20, 2024

Say goodbye to March, but not to feminism!
Monthly Review Press is offering a 40% discount on selected books by and about women—both print and electronic (when available)—starting midnight March 30, and ending midnight April 2. Just enter the coupon code: whm331401 to receive 40% off at checkout.